Amit Shah, who delivered crucial Uttar Pradesh to BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, was today appointed party president, marking Gujarat's firm grip over the ruling dispensation after Narendra Modi's elevation as Prime Minister.

Shah, a close and controversial aide of Modi, was appointed to the top post in BJP at a meeting of Parliamentary Board where incumbent Rajnath Singh resigned after a tenure of one-and-a-half years.

The former Minister of State for Home in Gujarat and who faces charges in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case is largely credited for BJP's stunning performance in UP where it got 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats.